We are coming to the tail end of my 12 days of Homemade Christmas and I have a simple 5 ingredient treat. They are considered a cookie, not candy and are completely gluten free. My day 11 pic for my Homemade Christmas is Peppermint Meringues. These are sweet bites of airy and light with a bit of crispness, deliciousness! I seriously could eat them all. It is a good thing that they are only 13 calories!

Don’t let the meringue part scare you, making meringue is easy. All you really need is a good mixer as mixing by hand will not get you the same results. Here are a few of my best tips:

Pick a dry day to make your meringues. They will turn out better on a dry day compared to a rainy or extra humid day. The moisture will prevent the stiff peaks from properly forming.

Remember to use room temperature egg whites.

Be sure not to get any yolk mixed in with your egg whites. Your egg whites will not properly stiffen.

Do not beat your egg whites until they are just white, beat for an extra couple minutes. You are wanting stiff peaks.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks. If desired carefully fold in mini chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy over the cookies.

Bake for 1½ hours in preheated oven. Meringues should be completely dry on the inside. Do not allow them to brown. Turn off oven. Keep oven door ajar, and let meringues sit in the oven until completely cool. Loosen from foil with metal spatula. Store loosely covered in cool dry place for up to 2 months.